This photograph almost enrages me. Michelle Obama laughs openly and Hillary covers her mouth like a geisha. The photographer doesn't even get a clear shot of the shrinking former First Lady. A fuzzy head blocks our view.

Is Hillary Clinton some sort of special women's Secretary of State? Every time I see her, she's tending to some nurturing, women-oriented matter, helping people in the Third World and so on. Women of Courage... where's her courage? Or is her annoyingly modest posture a cover for a truly bold move in the offing? I hope so!

The photo isn't bad and going to an event and having a fun time and being happy isn't bad. Certainly we're not required to be all stern and serious all the time. (I'm recalling that stupid anti-women-in-the-military woman I've thankfully lost the name of making a big deal about some Army recruits doing the giggling girls with make-up thing, as if that made them not-soldiers.)

But, but, but...

As the photograph of Hillary does manage to illustrate her "Women's Secretary of State" status, yes, the photograph is almost enraging.

I sometimes think that despite my protests to the contrary, I'm an ardent feminist. I've long complained that feminists marginalize themselves when they promote women's issues. They set themselves in a corner and then complain of being set there. I certainly have noticed that Hillary seems to be, first and foremost, focused on women's issues as Secretary of State. And I can't believe that it's her idea to marginalize herself that way.

Was Condi ever ever reduced to running around doing the job of a first Lady or a hereditary Princess? If she promoted women's issues it was by confronting male heads of state in misogynistic parts of the world, bold as brass balls, and dealing with the matters of State. That was her job.

Has a male Secretary of State ever done the equivalent sorts of things that Hillary has done?

What has Hillary done as SOS? What does anyone expect her to do? When was the last time a SOS did something of great significance?

I had the impression she was biding her time and enjoying the privileges of the job. I think she probably recognizes there is nothing going on that provides any realistic prospect for her to look good. She probably plans/hopes to serve about two years and, if she can get out before something blows up, be in a position to blame Obama and either challenge him down the road or at least be off the hook for whatever major screw ups occur in his presidency.

Please don't be nearly enraged. I like the photo a lot. You already know it's not always possible to get the best of all possible shots.

But now that you mention Hillary covering her mouth, I tend to interpret that differently. I realize this is my own bias. Michelle's smile is brilliant, white, and perfect. Hillary's teeth are frankly old by comparison. She must know that.

There is an acquaintance I encounter occasionally at the clubs who always speaks to me this way, with his mouth covered like that. Always. As if what he is saying is a secret, or as if he's trying to direct sound directly into my personal space. I do not understand it as there's no problem with secrecy or with sound. As to Hillary, for all I know maybe she just ate spinach. Maybe garlic.

"Actually, Condi created the International Women of Courage Awards, to honor International Women's Day."

Certainly women are a part of the world, as are men and children and people with some other identifying need. And I think I was pretty clear that I didn't have a problem with Hillary laughing or the event in question.

It's just... why the difference in perception? Because there is a strong perception that Hillary in particular is focusing her Secretary of State term on women-oriented issues. Is it because she really is, and really is being pushed aside from weighty decisions and important tasks... either Obama countermands her appointment decisions or sends Bill... or is the press reporting differently?

Could it be that people who are trying to promote Hillary are doing this on purpose because they think that it shows her in a good light? Lord knows I can't figure it out, but empirically people who believe they are promoting feminism think that there is something better about careers in women's studies than in what must (logically) be considered men's studies.... which is everything else.

Is it possible that Hillary is doing the same sorts of things that Condi did, but no one was particularly interested in promoting Condi so none of the girl-stuff made the news?

Hillary has been a no-show as SOS and on the entire health-care debate.Let's not forget that health-care was her BIG ISSUE and now, she's as quiet as a church mouse.I have no doubt she is trying to get as much distance from the Obama bunch as possible.

Hillary probably deserves it, but it is somewhat unfair that no matter what she does, her motives are suspect. I'm sure she must have moments when she it ernestly trying to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.

It is absolutely interesting to me that in our era where individual senators can have rather immense influence in shaping, adapting, preventing, or supporting health reform that Hillary Clinton, of all people, is entirely removed from the debate. It could be that Obama's most significant political achievement of his presidency was taking Hillary out of national politics. What's amazing is she allowed herself to be seduced away from the Senate.

I think both Clintons are immensely susceptible to undermining themselves when even slightly tempted. They each have different vices. Clinton has lust, Hillary has vainglory. Neither vice ever really satisfies as much as it initially promises.

As to the line, "Is Hillary Clinton some sort of special women's Secretary of State?", you broke the code. She has been kicked upstairs to a supposedly prestigious post where all the real work is done by Barry's foreign policy czars or, when The Zero wants to really twist the knife, Willie.

The irony is that, when she challenges The Won in '12 and tries to point to her stint at State, she'll have no real accomplishments.

1jpb said...

Here are some more pictures of this terrible situation that has Althouse so upset.

Just awful.

The disgrace. The horror.

BTW, I wonder if postings like this could be cathartic. Without an online-bitterness-outlet it could be that Meade would suffer greatly.

Jealous, mayhap?

ricpic said...

All the courage of these lefty hags evaporates in the face of Islamic misogyny.

Huh? Are you saying that Obama dressed up his rebuke as a sort of a gag card to soften the blow?

Biden is well known for being an f'n moron, so Israel is free to ignore anything he says, secure in the knowledge that he probably just made it up on the spot or plagiarized it from a speech by a former leader of the UK Labour Party.

Here are some more pictures of this terrible situation that has Althouse so upset.

Michelle actually looks rather nice in that purple outfit. Gigantic compared to the other ladies, but nice.

Instead of wearing her professional wrestling belt and a top that is 4 sizes too small or an outfit that looks like a Salvation Army bin reject; she is wearing a flattering top and bottom set in a color that is really great on her.

And...she is 'your' Hillary. Not mine. Nevertheless, I do believe that the Obama administration has really kept Hillary boxed in and diminished.

Biden went to Israel to tell them directly from Obama's mouth, "Go to hell". The message was loud and clear.The Israelis will have to become a regional hegemon themselves now that the Obama has made the USA's support for their survival disappear. Don't bet against them. Meanwhile not a peep about the Iranian Mullahs being an illegitimate government that is sworn to destroy Israel...the Obama muslim instincts are in a house of peace with the Mullahs and are in a house of war with the Jewish state and the Christian state. Contrast that message with Sarah Palin's message that dividing Jerusalem is not going to happen. Hmmm.

The hilarity continues. The State Department announces today that HIllary has a 43 minute call with Netenyahu [sp?] to express criticism. It almost has to be in part (probably large part) to temper ridicule about Biden and not her going to Israel.

It would be nice to say that Hillary just stinks at being Secretary of State, but I think she's just not being allowed to be one. Obama keeps tapping other people to do the serious lifting, which tells me that the entire appointment was Machiavellian politics. Ironically, Hillary probably could have done more good of Obama in the Senate (which, I suppose, is precisely the point.)

holdfast said... "Biden was the best choice to tell Israel a hard truth."

Huh? Are you saying that Obama dressed up his rebuke as a sort of a gag card to soften the blow?

Biden is well known for being an f'n moron, so Israel is free to ignore anything he says, secure in the knowledge that he probably just made it up on the spot or plagiarized it from a speech by a former leader of the UK Labour Party.

Israel ignores the message Biden delivered at their peril.

Every Turkey, and every Arab country in the region is extremely concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions, even if they understand the Israelis are Iran's rivals to regional hegemony. They know they are "next", so they are putting their own nuclear weapons programs in the starting blocks.

However, the political realities are that Muslim lands have all pledged they would work to get a fair settlement for the lands, homes and possessions the Israelis stole from the Palestinians and stop Israel from seizing more land and water resources from the Palestinians while they worked on a Peace.The King Abdullah Proposal is on the table.That has to happen before any initiative that puts Arabs aligned with Israel on Iran. Biden delivered the message, and Israel responded by announcing more lands in East Jerusalem will be taken from Palestinians so 1600 Settlers can move in. (Calculating that AIPAC can still cow the US Congress, and do as Israel wishes)

C-4...You seem to agree with me that Obama is letting Israel defend itself alone or agree to surrender to slow elimination at the hands of a Palestinian State that wants to start with the occupation east half of the old City of Jerusalem. But the Jews have vowed to never surrender Jerusalem again. And the Israeli military has the only nuclear weapon capabilities in the middle east. So what is the peril to the Jews? Therefore the peril is apparently to every Islamic Despot once the Jews know that they have nothing left to lose. Where am I Wrong? Are you assuming that Obama/Biden/Clinton will order the US to shoot down any Israeli Air Force attacking Iran as they have threatened to do?